The Reorganized Latter Day Saints

THE REORGANIZED LATTER-DAY SAINTS- Introduction
Mormons refer to themselves as Latter-day Saints. But what exactly is the difference between them and the Reorganized Latter-day Saints?

THE REORGANIZED LATTER-DAY SAINTS- Different from Mormons?
Both the Utah Latter-day Saints (or Mormons) and the Reorganized Latter-day Saints claim to be legitimate successors of the organization founded by Joseph Smith in 1830. But despite their common claims, these two groups differ on a number of very key doctrines.

THE REORGANIZED LATTER-DAY SAINTS- Views on God
For example, while most Mormons believe that there are many gods and that men can become gods, the Reorganized Church maintains that there is only one God, holding what appears to be a trinitarian view. And whereas Mormons traditionally hold that God was once a mere man who had to work his way up to godhood, the Reorganized Church teaches that God has always been God.

THE REORGANIZED LATTER-DAY SAINTS- The Real Thing?
Add to this the fact that the Reorganized Church repudiates secret temple rituals like “baptism for the dead,” which are essential elements of Mormon theology, then one may very well get the impression that the Reorganized Church is in fact soundly orthodox. And if we add to that their refusal to acknowledge a number of writings that Mormons consider authoritative, including the Pearl of Great Price, you really might be inclined to consider them to be “the real thing.”

THE REORGANIZED LATTER-DAY SAINTS- The Problems
Now, even though I would obviously commend the Reorganized Church’s opposition to the majority of Mormonism’s false teachings, a number of reasons still prompt me to classify them as heretical. For instance, contrary to Scripture, the Reorganized Church still believes that Christianity was completely overrun by apostasy (cf. Matt. 16:18; 1 Tim. 4:1). They also maintain that Joseph Smith was a prophet — that he was sent by God to restore the church; that he had to reinstitute the apostolic and prophetic offices, along with the Old Testament priesthoods, and that he also had to convey additional revelation from God (which is what the Book of Mormon is supposed to be). Well obviously, both biblical and historical evidence directly controvert these positions which, of course, makes Christian fellowship with members of the Reorganized Church virtually impossible. Because the division caused by such mistaken beliefs is so severe, we can only classify the Reorganized Church as heretical.On the Reorganized Latter-day Saints, that’s the CRI Perspective. I’m Hank Hanegraaff.